(a) To the extent that federal financial participation is available, face-to-face contact between a health care provider and a patient is not required under the Medi-Cal program for teleophthalmology, teledermatology, and teledentistry by store and forward. Services appropriately provided through the store and forward process are subject to billing and reimbursement policies developed by the department.
(b) For purposes of this section, “teleophthalmology, teledermatology, and teledentistry by store and forward” means an asynchronous transmission of medical or dental information to be reviewed at a later time by a physician at a distant site who is trained in ophthalmology or dermatology or, for teleophthalmology, by an optometrist who is licensed pursuant to Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 3000) of Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code, or a dentist, where the physician, optometrist, or dentist at the distant site reviews the medical or dental information without the patient being present in real time. A patient receiving teleophthalmology, teledermatology, or teledentistry by store and forward shall be notified of the right to receive interactive communication with the distant specialist physician, optometrist, or dentist and shall receive an interactive communication with the distant specialist physician, optometrist, or dentist, upon request. If requested, communication with the distant specialist physician, optometrist, or dentist may occur either at the time of the consultation, or within 30 days of the patient’s notification of the results of the consultation. If the reviewing optometrist identifies a disease or condition requiring consultation or referral pursuant to Section 3041 of the Business and Professions Code, that consultation or referral shall be with an ophthalmologist or other appropriate physician and surgeon, as required.
(c) Notwithstanding Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, the department may implement, interpret, and make specific this section by means of all-county letters, provider bulletins, and similar instructions.
(Amended by Stats. 2014, Ch. 662, Sec. 10. (AB 1174) Effective January 1, 2015.)
Last modified: October 25, 2018